8.19.2009

It is true. August has been a slow month here at FBB. With cabinets of beer that needed to be consumed, a Belgian white that kept on fermenting, and some apprehension about beginning what we hope is a highly successful first seasonal ale, our progress forward slowed.

The good news is we are ready to pick up the pace again. This Friday we are hosting another fiesta at the Hayes House. While this won't be the tasting party many of you have been waiting for, we have decided to crack open some bottles from the archives. Thinking back to our many brews brings back some great memories.

Our Red Ale series has been quite a hit as we tried our own hand at a brewery genre favorite. The Marzen was a pleasant surprise that still ranks in the top three for many, including myself. The Pale Ale was a make-shift half batch that surpassed expectations. And the stout was the strongest and darkest beer we've brewed that seems to get better with time.

Overall these last 4 months have been highly educational and rewarding. We've produced some great beer and some not very great beer. Most of all we've shared these drinks, and many others, with friends. Thanks for the support. -jk

8.17.2009

The tasting notes for this one have been a long time coming. Apologies for the delay.

The goal was to brew a classic Irish style dry stout. Guinness, of course, would be the prototype for this style. "For No One Stout" doesn't have the secret Guinness flavor but it does hold its own in the stout world. Roasted coffee to start, a pleasant bitterness (not hop bitterness), smooth mouthfeel, and a dry finish. Our beer with the highest original gravity yet (1.075), For No One Stout came in at 6.7% ABV. Comparatively, Guinness is 4.1% ABV.

Personally, I think this beer is one of FBB's great successes. I mean, seriously, just look at that beauty. There is little I would change if we were to do this recipe again. The only alteration that comes to mind is that we could probably get it to have an ever smoother taste if we toned down the amount of malt extract we used so that the ABV would be somewhere in the 4-5% range. I'd also be interested in using it as a base recipe to make a coffee or an oatmeal stout at some point. Lots to look forward to. -nhc